Pokemon: A Gym Leader's Rise(SI)

Now you all might be wondering about the six Pokemon rule?

Does not Gladion now have Seven Pokemon on his team? Pupitar, Machoke, Milotic, Eevee, Squirtle, Magby and Elekid.

Did not this mean that he could not capture another Pokemon or should not Elekid directly be transferred to his designated Ranch or his designated 'Professor Oak'?

Well, in Gladion's case, it would be transferred to his Family since they could take care of the Pokemon and were the ones sponsoring him and Gwen.

But Gladion had discovered that there was a loophole in the rule. A trainer can only have six Pokemons on hand at a single time.

But the rule only applied to Six Pokemon in Pokeballs. A trainer can have one Pokemon outside of their Pokeball at all times.

While the standard six-Pokémon limit was strictly enforced in official battles and League competitions, the additional companion Pokémon was a practical adaptation for trainer safety.

This companion Pokémon could be outside its Poké Ball, ready to protect the trainer from immediate threats. It wasn't about battle prowess but about providing a constant protective presence.

The reason why the six Pokemon limit was in place was if you have more than 6 Pokemon then it will not be possible to give adequate care to all Pokemon that you are carrying.

You were bound to care for a Pokemon that would always be outside. And it would be easily recognised if the trainer was not caring for the seventh Pokemon.

 Another fact that Gladion got to know was that this 6 carry limit rule is for most of the trainers no matter how experienced they are and how caring they are to their Pokemon. This is to maintain a balance so that people just don't go around catching every single Pokemon and keeping them in their belts.

This rule though did not apply to Army officials, Rangers, Gym Leaders, Elite Four and the Champion which in Gladion's opinion was quite logical.

Criminals won't follow the six Pokemon rule so Authorities need to be ready for it. Similarly in the wild, there are thousands of Pokemons and rangers are expected to calm them down. They would need much more than Six Pokemons to do it.

This gave Gladion another reason to strive and become a Gym leader soon as the evening campfire cast a soft glow on his contemplative face.

Arsenal, his Magby, and Zeus, his Elekid, played nearby, unaware of the deep thoughts brewing in their trainer's mind. Evolution—a concept far more complex than the simplified narratives of children's stories and casual trainers.

Arsenal and Zeus were currently in their first evolutionary stages, and he was confident they could reach their second evolutions within two months.

They were not newborns and had been dealing with dangers for some time now. They needed just a little push to evolve.

Though, the path to their final forms remained shrouded in mystery. Electivire. Magmortar.

Two Pokémon that, as far as the current scientific community knew, did not exist. At least, not officially.

The world of Pokémon evolution was a labyrinth of unwritten rules and mysterious processes. Most trainers—and even many researchers—believed evolution was a simple, linear progression. They believed that some Pokemon were incable to evolve, some could only evolve once or some coulve evolve twice. Gladion knew better.

He recalled the conversations with his mother, Erza, and the insights from his late grandfather, Maren. Evolution was not just a biological process but a complex interplay of growth, environment, bond, and potential.

The journeys of trainers like Ash Ketchum suddenly made perfect sense. How many of Ash's Pokémon remained perpetually in their middle evolutionary stages? Most of his team never reached their final forms—a phenomenon that now had a logical explanation.

This was due to the fact that he only trained them for a single League and then let most of them be on their own in Professor Oak's lab. It takes years of training for Pokemon to reach their peak form.

Most of Ash team that evolved to their finals form were either regional starters, bug types or flying types Pokemon.

The two types were known to have quick evolutions. Regional starters were called starters for a reason.

Regional starters were unique—they often came to trainers partially developed, needing just a slight push to reach their next stage. A Charmander given to a new trainer was already past its most vulnerable baby stage. Its evolution was almost guaranteed with proper care and battle experience. But a wild Charmander? Its path would be far more challenging.

So now that begs the question, why would wild Pokemon want to leave their homes and go train with trainers?

Wild Pokémon faced immense challenges in reaching their final evolutionary forms. In the harsh wilderness, survival was the primary goal. Evolving required energy and resources,luxuries that were found in nature but were hoarded by the strongest Pokemon or Pokemon group.

This does not mean that they would not reach their final evolutions. It would just take a lot of time for them to reach it if they ever do.

A Magby in the wild might spend years struggling to find enough heat and challenge to trigger its evolution to Magmar. An Elekid could potentially remain in its initial stage for years, its electrical potential untapped and unrealized.

The answer was simple yet profound: accelerated growth. In the wild, reaching one's full potential could take decades. With a trainer, that journey could be compressed into years, sometimes even months. The trade-off was protection, guidance, and a path to realizing one's true potential.

Many researchers have even gave some speculations. One famous one by none other than Professor Oak was that the bond between a Pokémon and its trainer was more than an emotional connection.

It was an energy transfer, a symbiotic relationship that accelerated growth in ways science had yet to fully comprehend.

Some researchers called it "trainer's aura"—a nebulous concept that suggested the emotional and psychic energy of a trainer could catalyze a Pokémon's evolutionary process.

Gladion understood this intuitively. His psychic abilities gave him insights that went beyond traditional scientific understanding. The connection wasn't just metaphorical—it was tangible, a flow of energy that could nurture a Pokémon's potential.

Arsenal and Zeus represented a fascinating case study. Gladion knew their potential paths to Magmar and Electabuzz were relatively straightforward. But Magmortar and Electivire? Those were uncharted territories.

Gladion needed rare items —a Magmarizer for Arsenal, an Electirizer for Zeus. Theoretical tools for evolutions that, as far as the current world knew, they didn't exist. He had a plan to aquire them but it would have to wait.

"Patience," he muttered to himself. "We'll get there."

Arsenal and Zeus weren't just Pokémon to Gladion. They were partners in a grand journey of discovery and growth.

As the campfire flickered, Arsenal and Zeus settled near Gladion. Zeus generated tiny electrical sparks, warming the campsite. Arsenal's body radiated a gentle heat, creating a perfect balance.

'Two months to their second evolution,' Gladion thought. 'Years before their final forms.'

But they had time. And more importantly, they had each other.

----Author Notes-------

Thankyou Andrew for supporting me!

Y'all can read 12 extra chapters on my pat*reon.

https://pat reon.com/mrmime24

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